Before her passing in August 2024 at the age of 117, Maria Branyas Morera — then the world’s oldest living person — made a final request: to have her body studied by scientists. Researchers led by Dr. Manel Esteller, head of genetics at the University of Barcelona’s School of Medicine, honored her wish, analyzing her blood, saliva, urine, and stool to uncover clues behind her remarkable longevity.
Their findings, published in Cell Reports Medicine on Sept. 24, revealed that Morera’s healthy lifestyle and rare genetic advantages both played key roles. She never smoked or drank, enjoyed daily walks, ate a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil and yogurt, and spent most of her life working and living in the countryside.
Genetically, she carried protective variants linked to lower risks of dementia, heart disease, high cholesterol, and cancer. “She had cells that seemed younger than her age,” Dr. Esteller explained, noting that her habit of eating yogurt three times a day may have also reduced chronic inflammation — a major driver of aging and illness.
While experts caution against generalizing too much from one case, the study highlights pathways for healthier aging. “Ill-health in age is not inevitable,” said Claire Steves, professor of aging at King’s College London. “It’s something we can change… not through one single factor, but multiple ones.”
Born in 1907, Morera lived through two world wars and a pandemic, raising three children and a large family with her husband, a doctor. She spent her later years in a nursing home in Olot, Spain, often sharing wisdom with the world online.
Shortly before her death, she wrote: “At my age, a new year is a gift, a humble celebration, a new adventure, a beautiful journey, a moment of happiness. Let’s enjoy life together.”
On August 20, 2024, her family announced she had passed away peacefully in her sleep — exactly as she wished.
